"Madrid, March 2d, 1782.

"Sir,

"M. Gardoqui informed me yesterday, that he had received an order to
pay to M. Cabarrus on my account twentysix thousand dollars, being
somewhat more than the balance due on the one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, and for which be pleased to accept my thanks and
acknowledgments.

"As the residue of the bills drawn upon me by Congress does not amount
to a great sum, and as M. Cabarrus had generously offered to furnish
it, provided your Excellency would give him assurances of its being
repaid in ten or twelve months, I had flattered myself, that his
Majesty's friendship for my country would have induced him, by this
further proof of his goodness, to save the necessity I shall otherwise
be under to protest them, and thereby ruin the credit of Congress at
so critical a period.

"It is with great pain I hear his Majesty is displeased with the
silence of Congress respecting returns, on their part, to the
friendship of Spain, and particularly in not having offered to comply
with the propositions made by your Excellency, relative to the ships
building in New England, &c. &c.

"Permit me to observe to your Excellency, that the long and constant
expectation of M. Gardoqui's arrival in America, with full powers on
these subjects, naturally induced Congress to postpone coming to any
resolution on them, until they should have the pleasure of seeing him.
They were well apprised of my ignorance respecting such matters, and,
therefore, could not with any propriety refer to my discretion the
entering into engagements on subjects, with which I was wholly
unacquainted. I am authorised to assure your Excellency of the
readiness of Congress to make every return in their power to the
kindness of his Majesty, and there is reason to hope, that by the end
of the next campaign, their abilities may be more proportionate to
their wishes than they have hitherto been.

"Your Excellency will also be pleased to recollect, that the
propositions of Congress respecting the Mississippi evince a strong
desire to oblige his Majesty, and that reason has been given me to
hope, that their compliance in that instance would be followed by new
proofs of his Majesty's good disposition towards us.

"I must candidly confess to your Excellency, that I now find myself
entirely without resources.

"The Ambassador of France can afford me no assistance, and my only
remaining hop